For what am I thankful?

This has been a difficult day. The unspeakable tragedy in Aurora, Colorado has left me utterly distracted, bewildered and devastated. It's easy to see why even my beloved Pirates would be far from my mind. Yet, this tragedy reminds me of what is precious to me. It reminds me to be thankful for my family, my friends, my adorable cats and yes, for baseball. So, it seems like the right time to share about what the Pirates have given me that I'm thankful for.

• The losing streak- if it's possible to be thankful for such a thing. Each year of the streak has been frustrating and painful. The more I want to give up on this franchise, the more I find myself rooting for them to win. The more the major league team struggles, the more time and energy I invest in learning about the farm system and all of the talent on its way up the pipeline. Without the losing streak, I would not have this blog, and because of the losing streak, the winning tastes all that much sweeter.
• Wagner, Clemente, Stargell and Andy Van Slyke- On the day the Willie Stargell stamp is released, I'm reminded of the rich history of this franchise. I'm reminded of the legend of The Flying Dutchman. I'm reminded of the pride and generosity of the game's greatest right fielder. I'm reminded of Pops and the We Are Fam-a-lee Pirates. After all, that's what we call my dad in my family. Most of all, I'm reminded of Andy Van Slyke. I'm reminded of my childhood and watching him play in total awe. I'm reminded of 1990 and 1991 and, yes 1992. I'm reminded of him sitting, head down, in the outfield grass that fateful day that Sid slid. I feel his pain, his frustration and his longing for something better. That image has been a source of inspiration for me. It shows how much he cared. How deeply losing hurt. He was an athlete, a competitor, an all-time-great Pirate.
• PNC Park- Truly, there's not a better ballpark on the planet. What's more, it showcases a beautiful city, rich with tradition and pride. When the park opened in 2001, my dad and I bought 20-game packages. I would not give that time at the park with my Pops back for anything in the world.
• Andrew McCutchen- I don't think there's anything that kid can't do. Seriously, in my opinion, he's the best player in the world. I say that as a fan. I have never been so excited to have someone on my team. Maybe Bonds for awhile, but I never felt like he cared. Not like this ballplayer. I wear his jersey number on my T-shirt with pride.
• Clint Hurdle- Talk about the right leader for the right team at the right time. I know that the players go out there and play, but I swear to you his boundless enthusiasm and optimism rubs off on this team. He is an impressive man. Sure, he sometimes pinch-hits Gorkys Hernandez to lead off an inning in a close game or uses Drew Sutton as a defensive replacement, but man he's a pleasure to have around.
• Winning- These past two seasons have done exactly what Hurdle has worked for: re-bonding a city with a baseball team. That means so much to me and to the City of Pittsburgh. You know, someone pointed out to me recently that nobody is really talking about the streak these days. They're talking about the playoffs. I like the sound of that.